Music-roll-controlling mechanism



Mar. 20, 1923.

S. S. CRAMER.

FILED NOV. 9,1920.

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Patented Mar. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES STANLEY S. CRAMER, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

MUSIC-ROLL-CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

Application filed November T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STANLEY S. Gunmen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Music-Roll- Controlling Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide improvements designed to increase the ciliciency of operation of the mechanism comprising an integral part of pneumatically operated player-pianos, and other instruments intended to produce music by agencies controlled by air, either in the form of vacuum or under compression.

Recent developments in the player-piano industry involve the creation and maintenance of the usual vacuum (or pressure) power by means of electrically operated devices, and in the case at point there is shown and described the combination of a playerpiano with a device of this character, which latter takes the form of electric-motordriven centrifugal fans of one or more stages, but which device is understood to be simply representative of any suitable mechanism for accomplishing the desired result.

The equipment of an instrument with such a device makes it possible to start the motor with a suitable electric switch and then leave it for the purpose of joining ones partner in dancing or other things, while the music is being reproduced from the usual type of perforated web, but it is highly desirable to additionally provide for the positive and automatic shutting off of the electric current upon the conclusion of the musical rendition, which provision is one of the objects of this invention to accomplish.

' After the rewinding of the perforated web on the original roll upon the completion of the music, and even after the power for driving the vacuum-generating motor is shut off (or the pedal operation of the bellows is stopped), the vacuum is maintained. for several seconds and therefore the rotation of the rewinding motor continues, with the result that the web continues to spin around, often for many revolutions and thereby cause the roll-attaching eyelet to rattle or click rapidly against the rear of 9, 1920. Serial No. 422,961.

the roll compartment and upper surface of the tracker-bar support.

This sound being undesirable and in fact very annoying, it is a further object of this invention to provide means for positively and entirely automatically relieving the vacuum which actuates the re-roll motor, so that the latter stops substantially instantaneously upon. the completion of the rewinding of the perforated web upon its original spool, and also simultaneously with the similarly automatic shutting off of the electric current from the vacuum generating device.

And, furthermore, in designing the presout and hereinafter described improvements, it will be noted that the automatic'arrangement for stopping the rewinding motor is not only adapted to use upon player-pianos and the like, equipped with electric driven vacuum generating devices, but is just as well applicable to musical instruments having the operating vacuum produced by the well-known pedal-operated bellows.

Further details of the construction and operation of the invention are fully brought out in the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. '1 is a front elevation of a player-piano equipped with the improved mechanism; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken through the vacuum relieving pneumatic connected with the rewind motor; Fig. 3 is a section of the same on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 41 is a section of the same on the line 4.i of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section taken through the electric-switch operating pneumatic; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a section on the line S8 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, any wellknown type of player-piano is shown as comprising an outer casing 1, in the upper part of which is positioned the roll and reroll operating motor 2connected respectively to the spool 3 and re-roll spool 4:, between which is positioned the usual perforated tracker-bar 5. In the lower portion of the casing is positioned a so-called bottom-action 6, from which air can be exhausted either by means of a suction bellows operated by foot-pedals 8 or instead by an electrically operated vacuum creating device 9 connected to said bottom-action by means of a preferably flexible tube 10, said suction device being supported with respect to the piano by any desired form of flexible sound-insulating means.

Ordinarily, the motor 2 is d'iven by air being drawn therethrough by the vacuum within the bottom action through a suitable tubular connection 12. However, in this instance, said lastnamed connection is broken by means of a pneumatic, which is illus trated in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 1, and the function of which is to instantaneously relieve the said operating vacuum within the said connection. in order to createa sudden. and slmultaneous cessation of motor operation at a predetermined moment.

The pneumatic referred to comprises a block 18 having a recess 14 extending inwardly from one side thereof, and into which recess leads the tubular connection by means of any suitable form of coupling 15. Also extending through said block is a suitable coupling 16, to w iich is connected the tubular connection 12, which at its opposite end is joined to the motor 2, the couplingv 16 preferably extending inwardly to a plane of that surface of the block 13 from which the recess extends inwardly. Said recess is closed by a removable cover 17 which is also provided with a recess 18, preferably positioned centrally with respect to the coupling 16, while a relatively thin flexible imperforate diaphragm 19 is securely positioned between the .block 13 and cover 17', and is adapted as shown in Fig. 2 in one extreme position to cover and completely close the otherwise inner open end of the coupling 16, while in its other extreme position to conform with the dot-and-dash lines 20in accordance with the variance in air pressures hereinafter described.

The inner surface of the cover 17 is additionally provided with an aperture 21, from which opens a relatively small bleed aperture 22, which in turn opens directly into a small bore 23 extending from said bleed to a point within the aperture 18 and to the rear of the diaphragm 19. Also extending from said recess 18 is a bore 24, to the outer end portion of which is connected a flexible tube 25.

In order to equip the usual pneumatically operated player-piano with this invention. oneofthe apertures in the tracker-bar and. preferably that one which is positioned fartherest to the left, is disconnected from the pneumatic which is intended to operate the lowest bass note of the instrument, and instead isconnected with a flexible tube 26 which extends to a pneumatic which is illustrated in detail by Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive. the function of said lastm'ame'd pneumatic being to actuate the electric switch which controls v the operation of the vacuum generating device 9, while it is to the tube 26 that the tube 25 is directly connected at any suitable point.

Referring now to the illustrations which illustrate the switch operating pneumatic, the latter comprises a block 27 provided with a recess 28 surrounding a deeper recess 29, from the latter of which extends centrally an aperture 30 leading to the opposite surfaces of the said block, and into which aperture extends a second aperture 31 from the interior of a bll0\ *s comprising a base mem- 7G1 and an oscillatable member 33 connected peripherally by a collapsible flexible member 34-1. to the outer surface of the member there being secured any suitable means such as the lever 35 for operating the reciprocating switchpost 36 of a suitable electric switch 37.

Said switch is also'adapted to be operated manually by means of a knob 38, positioned at any suitable place within reach of the operator when the upper portion of the piano is closed by the usual front panel not shown), said knob being connected to said switch by a rod 89.

The apertured side of the block 27 is nor mally closed by means of a cover 40, provided with a recess 41 centrally positioned with respect to the recess 29 but separated therefrom by means of a flexible imperforate diaphragm 42, which is secured in position by, between and throughout the full extent of the .said block and cover therefor. said diaphragm preferably being reinforced at its central position by means of a disc 4:3. From the recess 28 there extends a tubular connection i l by way of a coupling 45, while from the'recess 11 there extends the connection 26 by way of a coupling 16, said recesses 28 and 11 in turn being connected together by means of a channel 17 extending from the latter through the cover member 40, and into the former recess by way of a. fine bleed aperture 4-8 leading into an enlarged aperture 19 connected with the said first-named recess 28.

Upon the back of the block 27 there is positioned a hollow housing 50. into which leads an opening 51. said housing covering the otherwise open and exposed end of the aperture 30 in the block 27. The opposite ends of the aperture 30 are partially closed by rings 52 having enlarged axially positioned apertures 53, the said apertures in the respective rings being adapted to be alternately closed by valves 54 and 55 carried by a stem 56, upon the inner end of which latter is mounted a head 57adapted to be moved upwardly by direct contact with the disc 43' upon the diaphragm 12. from which position it is adapted to drop by gravity immediately upon removal of the said diaphragm into its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 5.

In the operation of this device, either the front pedals and bellows connected thereto may be used to generate the desired vacuum, or the electrically operated vacuum creating device 9 may be employed, and for the purpose of illustrating the complete operation even with reference to the electric switch, it will be assumed that the playerpiano is being actuated by vacuum created by the said device. A perforated music-roll is positioned as shown in Fig. 1 and connected with the spool 3 until it covers all of the apertures in the tracker-bar 5. The knob 38 is then moved toward the left. thus closing the switch 37 and starting the device 9 electrically by means of wires 59 connected thereto. Said device immediately creates a partial vacuum within the bottom-action 6, the tube 43, recesses 28 and 29, and the block 27, and by means of the bleed aperture 48 also in the tube 26, to which as before stated is connected the tube 25.

Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the vacuum in the tube 12 has a tendency when unopposed to draw the dia phragm into the position shown, while the vacuum in the smaller tube 25 tends to draw the said diaphragm into the'dot-anddash position 20, it being realized that the vacuums in the said tubes are equal by reason of their being connected as hereinbefore described, and also through the shorter bore 23 and relatively small aperture 22. However, the diaphragm 19 is drawn towards the inner end of the bore 24 by virtue of the fact that when in the position shown in Fig. 2 the vacuum through said bore is aided by the positive air pressure flowing through the motor 2 through the coupling 16, the cross-sectional area of said coupling being greater than the area of that portion of the said diaphragm between the periphery of said coupling and the peripheral hmits of the recess 18, said diaphragm thereby being drawn away from the coupling 16, and thus the vacuum within the tube 12 operates directly through the tube 16 and motor 2 to drive the latter and the perforated musicroll 58.

After the said music-roll has been rewound its full. length upon the spool 4:, it finally enters the position shown in Fig. 1, where the aperture in the tracker-bar 5 connected to the tube 26 is exposed to atmospheric pressure, at which instance air rushes through said aperture into the tube 26 and thence through the tube 25 to the rear of the diaphragm 19, thus permitting the vacuum from the device 9 through the tube 12 to simultaneously draw said diaphragm into the position shown in Fig. 2. which by closing the inner open end of the coupling 16 all air flowing through the motor 2 is stopped, so that said motor ceases to operate and the music-roll 58 rests substantially in the position shown in Fig. 1, and without continuing to revolve repeatedly for many seconds as in the usual arrangement of player-pianos even when operated solely by foot-pedals, and as a result causes the highly objectionable rattle or'click, click. click as the metal tab 60 repeatedly strikes the rear of the compartment in which said roll is ositioned.

s before stated, normal atmospheric pres' sure enters the tube 26 immediately upon the tracker-bar aperture to which it is connected, being exposed by the removal of the musicroll therefrom, so that the vacuum in the tube 43' and recesses 28 and 29 connected therewith instantaneously forces the diaphragm 42 into its uppermost position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 5, in which position the valve operating head 57 is raised, thus closing the valve 54 and opening the valve 55, so that the vacuum in the tube 44 and the recesses of the block 27 create a vacuum through the aperture 31, and draws together the side members 33and 34, of the bellows, which in turn by means of the lever 35 operates the switohpost 36 (and rod 39 connected therewith) to break the electrical current within the switch 37 and thereby causing the vacuum creating device 9 to cease its operation.

After the said device has thus ceased to operate, and the vacuum throughout the various elements of the player-piano have been relieved, the valves 54 and 55 together with the head 57 drop by gravity into the position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and thus make it possible when next moving the knob 38 to the left to open the bellows 323334 by reason of the latter being able to draw air from outside by way of the housing 50 and past the walls 54.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is 2-- 1. In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination of a source of vacuum, a tracker-bar having an aperture adapted to be normally closed by a web provided with a cut-away portion adapted when in one position to pas over and expose said first aperture, a pneumatically actuated control for said source, a vacuum driven motor for moving a web across said bar, a conduit connecting said motor with said source, a pneumatic connected with said conduit to control the motor-driving vacuum therein, and a conduit connecting said first aperture with said control and with said pneumatic.

2. In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination of a source of vacuum, a tracker-bar having an aperture adapted to be normally closed by a web provided with a cut-away portion adapted control tor'said source, a vacuum driven motor for moving a web across said bar, a conduit connecting said motor with sa'id'source, a pneumatic connected with said conduit to control the motor drivingvacuum therein, and a conduit connecting said first aperture with said control and with said pneumatic, whereby the exposure of said aperture by said web relieves the vacuum in said lastnamed' conduit to permit the atmospheric pressure to actuate said control, and the vacuum in said first conduit to actuate said pneumatic to stop said motor;

3: In a pneumatically operated musical in strument,-the' combination of an electri ally driven vacuum producing device a trackerbar having an aperture adapted to be nor mally closed by a web adapted when in one position to-expose said aperture, a pneumatically actuated electric switch to control said device, a vacuum driven motor to move a web across said bar, a conduit connecting said motor with said device a pneumatic connected with said motor to control the motor-operating vacuum, and a conduit connecting said aperture with said switch pneumatic and with said last-named pneumatic.

In a pneumatically operated musical instrument, the combination of an electrically driven vacuum producing device, a trackerbar having an aperture adapted to be normally closed by a web adapted when in one position to expose said aperture, a pneumatically actuated electric switch to control said device, a vacuum driven motor to move a web across said bar,a conduit connecting said motor with said device, a pneumatic connected with said motor to control the motor-operating vacuum, and a conduit connecting said aperture with said switch pneumatic and with said last-named pneumatic, whereby exposure of said aperture by said web relieves the vacuum in said last-named conduit to permit said switch to disconnect said. device from the driving electric current, and to simultaneously permit said lastnamed pneumatic to relieve the motor operating vacuum in said first conduit to stop said motor and thereby the movement of the web.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my sign ature.

STANLEY S. CRAMER. 

